Love is Strange
by TrixieFirecracker
Summary: It was just a kiss, right?  It wasn't supposed to mean anything.  It was a means of repaying a bet to Marc.  Amanda knew she shouldn't have let it get that far.  So how the hell did it?  HenryAmanda pairing
1. Chapter 1

She'd been in the elevator for a good forty-five minutes, riding it up and down the length of Meade Publications, hoping he would finally get on. Dread filled her as she wondered if she'd already missed him. Marc had specifically said she had to do it today and if she didn't, she was going to have to do it in the lunchroom tomorrow. Amanda really didn't want anyone seeing her do what she was about to do. 

Wringing her hands, Amanda bit her lip as she felt the elevator jolt and start its descent to the lower floors of the building. She saw that they were headed for his floor. Okay, she'd do it and get the hell off this elevator so she could go home and take a scalding shower. As she felt the elevator descend, Amanda checked to make sure everything was in place. Was she in view of the security camera? Check. Thick coat of lipgloss? Check. No one else in the elevator? Check. Low cut blouse to highlight her assets? Check. 

Suddenly Amanda saw that they were making a stop at floor directly above him. Shit. She'd have to do something drastic. The elevator doors slid open and Amanda saw a handsome man in a long grey overcoat getting ready to step into the elevator. If this was any other time, he'd be her date for tonight. But like a soldier with a mission, Amanda pushed her desires aside and steeled herself for what she was about to do. She reached out, gave him a shove that sent him sprawling to the floor, and punched to button to shut the doors. 

The man stared up at her from his position on the floor. "Sorry!" Amanda called and gave him a pained smile as the doors slid shut. She barely had time to compose herself before the doors opened again, this time on his floor. 

"Uh, hello," he said as he stepped into the elevator and stood close to her. 

Amanda forced herself to smile and leaned across him to punch the button that would take them up to the lobby of the building. She knew she was invading his personal space. Amanda heard his breath hitch in his chest as she turned her head towards him and asked, "Going my way?" She put on her most seductive smile as she waited for his response.

It took him a few moments before he could think of a response. "The lobby? Yes."

Amanda nodded happily and brushed against him as she went back to her original spot beside him in the elevator. "Sorry," she grinned. "This space is so small."

He nodded. "Yeah." She noticed him nervously looking around the elevator as if unsure as to what was happening. 

"Is this tie new, Henry?" Amanda asked as she pulled it from his sweater and running it between her fingers. She kicked the seduction up a notch by using the tie to pull him closer to her. She took a quick peek at the placement of the security camera. Marc had better be able to see this. "You know, Henry, I've never noticed how _sexy_ your glasses were."

Henry pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose and laughed nervously "Sexy? Really?"

Amanda nodded vigorously and pulled him even closer. She looked again to see how quickly they were approaching the lobby. Shit! They were nearly there. Amanda slapped her hand against the emergency stop button and turned his head to she was looking at her again.

"Whenever I see a man in glasses, I just can't control myself. I just have this overwhelming urge to," she paused and stared at his lips, "kiss them." Amanda turned her head away for a second to suppress her gag reflex. "Can I kiss you, Henry?"

She had only mean to give him a quick peck on the lips and flee the scene, leaving Henry heartbroken and her debt paid to Marc. She hadn't counted on Henry grabbing her by the arms and furiously start kissing her. She hadn't expected to get drawn into his hungry kisses and respond to them. Amanda was pulled in by the smell of his cheap cologne and his soft lips. She grabbed the collar of his sweater and pulled him flush against her. He tasted like Listerine and smelled like Axe. And dammit, she couldn't get enough!

As she felt Henry's lips move down her face and to her neck, dreamy smile on her face, Amanda's eyes drifted to the security camera. The security camera where Marc was watching the whole scene play out. 

"No!" Amanda cried out and pushed Henry away. She pushed the emergency stop button again and felt the elevator start to rise. 

"What?" Henry asked, confused. "Did I do something wrong?" Amanda shook her head and Henry pulled her close again. Somehow her hands were inside his cheap acrylic sweater and she was starting to unbutton his shirt. 

An irritating ping pulled them from their actions and Amanda got a look at herself in the reflection of the large brass doors. Her hair was a mess and her lipgloss was smeared. Somehow the top three buttons of her blouse were unbuttoned and she held Henry's glasses in her hand. Amanda placed the glasses carefully on his face and gently kissed his cheek. "I can't do this Henry," she whispered and ran out as soon as the door opened. 

Pushing the revolving door open, Amanda took great breaths of the cold night air and looked around. She saw Marc sitting at the nearby bus stop, bouncing up and down in excitement. Amanda smoothed down her hair and waited for Marc to start in on her for making out with Henry.

"What happened? Did you have to fight your way out of the elevator?" Marc stood up and held out the crook of his arm for Amanda to loop her arm through while they walked.

"What do you mean, didn't you see it on the security camera?" Marc had to be playing with her, right? He'd probably stolen the tape of the elevator scene to put on YouTube. 

"No, everything went all static-y when you pullled him in for the kiss. I wait a few minutes and then I got bored. So I came out here," Marc gestured to the bus stop in a disgusted manner. "Thank god you came out. You look like he ravaged you. Has it been that long since someone kissed Lord AddsALot?"

Satisfied that her secret was safe, Amanda pasted a disgusted look her face and nodded. "Most definitely. I was lucky to escape at all. He probably wanted to club me and drag me back to his polyester apartment." Amanda looked down to check her reflection in the mirror that she kept in her handbag, when she suddenly realized she had no handbag. "Oh my god!" Amanda moaned and slapped her hand to her forehead. 

"What is it, sweetie? Did you discover that you can't possibly live your life without some more nerd lovin'?" Marc quipped as Amanda began pulling him back to the building. 

Amanda curled her lip into a snarl at Marc and turned him to face her. "Marc, I felt my handbag in the elevator. With Henry. You have to go get it for me."

"Oooh, don't want to face the heart you broke?" Marc asked as he hopped from one foot to another.

Amanda gritted her teeth. "I wouldn't have broken any hearts if you hadn't made me pay off that bet to you by forcing me to kiss Henry. Now go get it!"

"How do I even know you kissed him? I saw nothing." Amanda's murderous look convinced him otherwise. "Alright, alright. Don't get your nonexistent panties in a twist. When I come back, we're making mojitos and you're telling me everything. In detail. With drawings, if necessary." Marc slowly made his way back into building. Amanda waited a few nerve wracking minutes, imagining Marc giving Henry the third degree about what went on in the elevator and feared Henry would tell the awful truth-that she'd kissed Henry (hell, she'd let him get to second base) and that she'd liked it. Finally, Marc emerged from the building sans handbag.

"Well, where is it?"

"That weird security guy, the one who smells like shoe polish, says Henry took it with him. He left you a note." Marc dutifully handed the note over and Amanda turned away to read the note, while trying to hide it from Marc's prying eyes. 

_Amanda,  
You left your purse in the elevator. I took it with me, since I figured I would be safe with me. I'll drop it off later tonight. We'll talk about what happened tonight.  
Regards,  
Henry Grubstick_

Amanda rolled her eyes. Did he really need to include his last name? And he was coming to her apartment? Tonight? Oh god! 

"Ooooh, the first of many love letters!" Marc snatched the note away and read it. 

"Marc, you have to help me. I can't be alone with him!" Amanda said desperately. "You saw what he wrote. Tell him you're my boyfriend and that no one messes with your woman." 

Marc and Amanda stared at each other for a second, soaking in what Amanda had just said and then broke into laughter. "Sorry," Marc said. "No one is going to believe that."

"I know," Amanda sighed. "Just come to my apartment with me. He won't try anything if you're there."

Marc pulled Amanda's arm through his and patted her hand. "Alright, Mandy." Marc heaved a great sigh and said, "The things I do for you."

Amanda leaned her head on Marc's shoulder and waited for the cab Marc was signaling to pull over and take her back to her apartment where Henry was probably waiting for her.


	2. Chapter 2

A huge thank you to the people who took the time to review. Thank you! Your reviews make me want to finish this crazy story. Also, a huge thank you goes to londongirl27. Thank you for being so supportive. 

"When are you going to make the mojitos?" Amanda asked Marc as soon as they had both flopped down on her small couch.

Marc turned to Amanda. "I thought you were going to."

"Why me?" Amanda asked. "I'm not a bartender."

"But you are a lush," Marc snarkily replied. Getting up from the couch, Marc started searching through Amanda's bare cupboards. "I'm starved. What do you have to eat? Every time I come here, you have nothing to eat." Opening Amanda's freezer, he pulled out a bottle of vodka. "But you have plenty of alcohol."

Amanda stretched herself across the couch and stared blandly at Marc. "Eat? Why would I have _food_ here?"

Marc consulted the mojito recipe he'd downloaded from the internet earlier this morning. Wilhelmina had been particularly vicious to him this week and Amanda had suggested a happy hour at her apartment before they went out for the evening. They'd both agreed on mojitos, but neither of them knew how to make them. So in between visits to the Dude Cruise website, he'd downloaded the recipe. Too bad no one had remembered to buy the ingredients.

Amanda came to stand next to him. "I don't have fresh mint leaves. Or limes." She snatched the recipe from Marc's hand. "This is too complicated. Let's just go out." She started at the sound of footsteps getting closer to her apartment. "Do you think that's Henry?" Amanda whispered to Marc. Both crouched by the door, trying to hear if the footsteps were getting closer to her door. The sound of the footsteps seemed to drift away. Having had enough of crouching on the floor and wrinkling his new pants, Marc stood up and looked through the peephole.

"What do you see?" Amanda hissed.

"Nothing. It's a peephole. Unless he's in front of the door, I can't tell who's out there." Marc pressed his ear to the door. "I don't think it was lover boy. You're safe for now."

Stomach twisting, Amanda got to her feet and opened the crisper drawer in her refrigerator. Pulling out a bag of chips, Amanda immediately ripped it open and started shoving the chips in her mouth. "I can't take this, Marc. If he comes to my door, I'm going to freak out."

"Who cares if Hank comes to your apartment? Tell him you had a fever or something that caused you to go temporarily insane, and that's why you kissed him." Marc took a handful of chips from Amanda and sat down on the couch.

Amanda desperately wanted to confess what had really happened to Marc. But how could she tell him that she'd kissed Henry and liked it? If she concentrated hard enough, she could still smell him. She could still feel what it felt like when he held her tightly against him. Worse still, she wanted to feel it again. "Are you hungry? Let's order a pizza," Amanda said abruptly changing the subject.

An hour later and after having found some mixer for cosmopolitans, Amanda and Marc were both sitting on her couch staring blankly at her TV. "When's the pizza coming?" Marc asked.

Pulling herself from her drunken stupor (she guessed they both drunk at least two drinks each on fairly empty stomachs), she tried to remember when she'd called the pizza place. "I don't know." She was about to say more when her buzzer went off. She and Marc looked at each other. "Pizza!" she said gleefully and handed the nearly empty bag of chips into Marc's hands.

"About time you got here," Amanda said as she threw open the door.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were expecting me at a specific time. I should have called before I came over," Henry apologized.

As quickly as she opened the door, Amanda slammed it shut. "You can't be here!" Amanda motioned Marc over. "He's here," she hissed.

Marc sank further into the couch cushions and ate a large handful of chips. "I know."

"Aren't you going to help me?"

"No, this is better than what's on TV."

"I hate you," Amanda said as she put the chain on the door and slowly opened it. "Uh, hi Henry."

"Can . . . can you let me in?" Henry asked putting his face to the crack in the doorway.

"Sorry, I can't. Why don't you just hand me my handbag and you can go home." Amanda put her hand through the small opening and motioned for him to give it to her.

"Why can't you let me in?" Standing so close to the door, she could smell his cologne and it was driving her crazy. Her resolve to keep him out was weakening. "Amanda, we need to talk about what happened in the elevator. I'm not giving you back your purse until you tell me what happened in there."

Amanda sighed. "Please give it to me now and I promise I'll talk to you tomorrow?" Again her hand slid through the opening and she grabbed at her purse. Henry caught it and carefully placed her hand on his chest. His heart was beating wildly.

"Can't you see what you're doing to me? I need answers now." His thumb was idly rubbing back and forth over the top of her hand.

Amanda looked back at Marc, motioned that she would be just a minute and slid into the hallway. "Listen, Henry . . ." she started, but was cut off when he grabbed her and began kissing her again. How could someone that she didn't even find attractive kiss her like that? How could she like it so much? More than anything else, Amanda wondered how someone as nerdy as Henry could have so much passion pent up in them. She wished he'd never stop and was disappointed when he did.

Henry leaned his forehead against hers. "Good evening," he said in his formal way that usually annoyed her. Right now it was making her insane.

"Hi," she said breathlessly and stared at his lips. "Kiss me again," she commanded.

Henry didn't need to be asked again. Once more, he began kissing her. She didn't know how long they stayed like that, but again they were interrupted by the arrival of the pizza man. "This your pizza?"

"What?" Amanda asked dazedly. Pizza? She knew what she wanted right now and it definitely wasn't pizza.

"Did I interrupt something here?" The man asked eyeing Amanda and Henry's disheveled clothing.

Amanda opened her mouth to deny that she and Henry were doing anything that needed to be interrupted, but found she could say nothing. All she wanted to do was drag Henry into her apartment and make a man out of him. She figured one night of passion would get him out of her system. So ignoring the pizza man, Amanda stood eyeing Henry wondering how she was going to get rid of Marc.

Seeing that Amanda was not answering the deliveryman, Henry shoved a twenty-dollar bill into the man's hand and handed the pizza to Amanda. "Thanks."

The delivery man quirked an eyebrow at him and said, "Have a good night."

Annoyed, Henry waved him off and turned to Amanda. "Shall we eat this inside?"

Amanda grabbed Henry's hand and began dragging him into her apartment. It was Marc's voice that stopped her. Amanda say that Marc had his hands covering his eyes as he spoke into the hallway at them. "I realize that I'm probably interrupting some sort of 'Beauty and the Geek' moment right now, but I need to talk to you."

Caught! Amanda dropped Henry's hand and shoved the pizza box into it. "Yeah?"

"Your dad called while you were talking to Hank. He said it's urgent, you have to call him back."

"Uh, that's Henry," Henry corrected Marc.

"Whatever," Marc said dismissively. "Amanda, your dad sounds ready to blow a gasket." He pulled Amanda aside. "Listen, this is the perfect opportunity to get rid of him."

"Amanda, if you're having some kind of family emergency, I can talk to you tomorrow." Henry nervously pushed the frames of his glasses up the bridge of his nose

Marc began shoving him out the door, but not before taking Amanda's handbag from him. "She is. Amanda will have to come and play another day, Romeo." Before he knew what had happened, Henry found himself standing outside Amanda's chic Manhattan apartment. Smiling to himself, Henry decided to head for home. He didn't know what was going on, but it had been a good night.

Things did not end so well for Amanda. "What happened out there?" Marc asked as Amanda checked her cell phone and saw that she had a voicemail.

Amanda shooed him away and listened to her father's irate voice.

"Amanda, I'm sick of paying for your outrageous credit card bills. I assume you know that money does not grow on trees. I won't stand for this anymore. I'm cutting you off. It's time you learned the meaning of the word economy."

He was clearly drunk, but Amanda knew he meant business. She called his cell phone, his office and his home. No one picked up. She turned to Marc.

"My dad's cutting me off. He's not going to pay for any of this anymore," she said as she gestured around room. "I'm going to be as poor as Betty!" she wailed.

Shocked, Marc held her close. "We'll think of something."


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Once again I want to thank everyone who took the time to read and review my last chapter. Thank you. This chapter jumps from Amanda's story to Daniel. It will all make sense in the end, just go with it. And yes, I am a Daniel/Betty shipper.

A few months earlier:

He watched as Betty and Henry sat together outside of his office, heads together talking in low voices about god knows what. He hated them. Or rather, he hated what _he_ had taken away him. At first Daniel had thought he was simply jealous that Henry (that wimpy little virgin from accounting, as he had taken to thinking of him) had found someone to love and that someone loved him back. So he tried dating again, as painful as it was when you were suspicious that every single woman you took out had ulterior motives. Nothing worked out. After having experienced the lie of monogamy with Sofia, he couldn't go back to randomly picking up beautiful women for a good time. He wanted someone to come home to, someone to lie next to in bed at night, someone to listen to his thoughts. That was why he was jealous of Henry, he thought. Then one day as he watched Henry pull Betty towards himself and fiercely kiss her goodbye, he realized he wasn't just jealous that Henry had someone. He wanted Henry's someone. To be blunt, he wanted Betty. And he absolutely hated Henry for taking Betty away from him.

In his off hours, when he wasn't watching Betty work on some ridiculous task that would keep her busy for hours at her desk where he could clearly see her, he thought about what Henry could possibly offer Betty that he couldn't. He went so far as to make a list, which he decided to keep hidden inside one of the few books in his apartment. He figured books were kryptonite to the types of women who usually came to his apartment and no snooping date would find it. "The List", as he came to think of it, was divided into sections based on qualities he knew women looked for in potential partners.

Appearance

Me: Handsome, classic features. Potential model material(?). Definitely genes for good-looking children.

Henry: Average, to below average looks. Children would be mediocre looking at best.

Health

Me: In perfect health, very fit. No vision impairments.

Henry: Skinny, seems weak. Wears glasses.

Job

Me: Editor-In-Chief of magazine, salary in the six digits. Will be able to support family.

Henry: Lowly accountant who works for me. Able to support family, but Betty would have to be a working mom. (Note to self: Get Betty's views on working mothers. Does she want to be one?)

Relationship/Sexual History

Me: Many girlfriends, lots of sexual experience. Have been checked by doctor and given a clean bill of health. No long-term relationship history.

Henry: Possible virgin, questionable sexual experience. Probable long-term relationship of some sort (point in his favor!)

Compatibility with Betty

Me: Her best friend.

Henry: Loser who memorizes lame trivia to impress her. (Daniel had actually crossed this phrase out). Friendly guy, seems nice. Does Betty tell him everything like she does with me? (Note: Ask Amanda to give me dirt on Henry. Can I make Betty think he's gay? Could I have Marc work on that?)

He'd taken the list out so many times and added things to it, trivia he was learning about Betty, Henry's failings (as far as he could see them), tidbits about their relationship, that the paper was beginning to come apart and he'd actually taped it together in some places. Sometimes he'd bring the list to work and use it to plan ways to tear Betty and Henry apart.

That had been in the beginning. A few months into the relationship, he had given up on seducing Betty away from Henry. He could clearly see it wasn't going to happen, so he didn't even try. She loved Henry and Henry loved her. Daniel had to admit, he loved Betty even more because she wouldn't cheat on Henry, no matter what Daniel had to offer. And he had a lot to offer. Somehow, with everything he had, he felt like he had nothing since he didn't have Betty.

The days when he realized this were the bad days. These were the days he felt particularly lonely and he craved Betty's company. Those were the times when he found extra work for her to do late at the office and offered her a ride home with him. Betty always happily accepted and Henry always thanked him for being so generous, never knowing how Daniel treasured his moments alone with Betty, never knowing how much he hated him and wished him gone.

Can wishes be that powerful, Daniel wondered? Could you wish someone away so many times that they actually disappeared? Daniel hoped so as he watched Henry kiss Betty goodbye and whisper in her ear lovingly because he wanted Henry to disappear and never come back from Tucson, Arizona. Henry was going home for the holidays and would miss the Mode Christmas party tomorrow. Daniel picked up the glass snow globe that Betty had given him for his birthday last year and wished Henry would get lost on his way back to New York and never come back again. Betty had given him the small glass orb that had a model of the Meade Publications building inside it and told him that every time he felt depressed about his job, he should wish on it and his dreams could come true (of course, she added that he should also have some hard work to go with that wish). One day, she told him, he would be in charge and he really would have the company in the palm of his hand.

And although Henry had never disappeared, he and Betty had broken up. Daniel had thought that Betty could come in all red eyes and dejected demeanor, but what he saw was not even close. In fact, he hadn't known for weeks that Betty had broken up with Henry. Henry still came by (although less often) and Betty still seemed happy to see him. Daniel finally heard Marc and Amanda discussing it a few days ago when they thought he had fallen asleep at his desk.

"Not going to happen, Marc," Amanda had said as Daniel watched them rifling through Betty's desk. "I'm not kissing Hank. Besides, isn't he dating Betty? I don't want chimichanga cooties."

Marc grabbed an expensive sample of hand lotion from Amanda (who had taken it from Betty's desk, Daniel knew this because he had given it to Betty as a means of impressing her). "Gimme that," he said as he idly rubbed the lotion into his hands. "Hank and Betty broke up last month. You're free and clear to kiss Hank and that's what you're doing,"

That had caused Daniel to sit up straight and his sudden movement had scared Amanda from her perch on the edge of Betty's desk. Marc and Amanda had scampered away (with Betty's hand lotion), but Daniel barely noticed. His heart couldn't have been lighter. All he needed to do was figure out if Betty could see herself dating someone like him. And really, that couldn't be too hard for Daniel to figure out, right? Daniel was about to find out how hard that really was.


	4. Chapter 4

Daniel stood in front of the podium with sweaty palms. He normally hated speaking to large groups of people. He felt like he would reveal to them how dumb he was. Once he'd confessed to Betty that fear and she looked like she was ready to cry. She had quickly swiped at her eyes and then she'd reassured him that she thought he was very smart and how proud she was to be working for him.

"_With_ me, Betty. You work _with_ me. We're a team, remember?" Daniel had flashed her a dazzling grin, happy to hear that Betty thought of him as smart. The opinion of the rest of the world didn't matter as long as Betty still had that high opinion of him.

In the present, Daniel stood in front of all his employees and friends to announce the launch of a new Meade publication without Betty to reassure him. She was quietly sitting by herself in the back of the room, seemingly in her own world. Before, he would given anything to be rid of the annoying accountant who held Betty's heart, now as he watched her fall apart, he'd happily watch her marry the man if that meant her happiness. He hated seeing her so distraught. That had to be the cause of Betty's quiet demeanor and the reason why she could barely talk to him anymore, right? She had to be still upset about her breakup with Henry.

He cleared his throat to get the attention of the large crowd who had gathered. Daniel had gone over his speech hundreds of times in his head during the past week. Why did all those wonderful words that he'd carefully constructed seem to fly out of his head once he felt all those eyes staring at him, waiting for him to speak? When Daniel was done with his speech, he went to the back of the room and sat down next to Betty. She could barely lift her eyes to meet his. Betty reached out to pat him on his shoulder and ended up dropping his Blackberry on the floor. Daniel had handed her the phone before he had gone to give his speech and now he watched as its various pieces scattered across the floor. With an "Oh!" from Betty and a murmured curse word from Daniel, they both kneeled on the floor to pick up the phone. Suddenly, their heads knocked together. Betty immediately looked up at him.

"I'm so sorry, Daniel!" she squeaked.

Daniel looked up from fitting the back of the phone back on and smiled. "It's fine. I did it this morning myself," he lied. "Don't worry."

"Thank you, Daniel" she whispered in his ear. A thrill raced through him when her breath tickled his ear, followed quickly by the persistent feeling of nausea that had been present since her and Henry's breakup. He recognized that feeling. It was guilt gnawing at him. _This is your fault_, his conscience seemed to say. _You wished him wished for them to break up and they did. Do you really think Betty will want you when she knows that you ruined her chance for happiness? Do you ever stop thinking about yourself? _ Rationally, Daniel knew he wasn't responsible for the breakup. But the irrational part of him that he seemed to listen to best felt incredible guilt for ever wishing that Henry would disappear. Why had god seen fit to grant that wish? He'd wished for tons of things before and nothing had ever come of it. Why had this wish come true? He had no answer for that.

Daniel leaned closer to Betty. "Listen, Betty, I know how much you loved Henry . . ." God it pained him to have to say that. As much as he wanted Betty to be happy, he also wanted happiness for himself. Was it really too much to hope that one day Betty would fall in love with him? Betty gave him a watery smile and took his hand in her own.

"Let's not talk about my failed relationships, okay? I just can't do that with you. We can talk about anything else, but that." Seeing Betty's eyes begin to water up, he quickly took her hand and squeezed it. For the remainder of the press conference, Daniel held Betty's in his own and wished he was holding it under different circumstances. Anything would be better than watching Betty going this pain.

At the end of the night, Daniel turned to Betty. "Can I give you a ride home?"

Betty looked up at him. "Oh, you don't have to do that. I'm sure Christina would take me."

"I want to. What good is it to have a car service if I can't use it to drive my friends around?"

That earned him a small smile from Betty. "Okay. You don't mind going all the way out to Queens? It'll be awhile before you're going to be able to get home."

Daniel smiled at Betty. "I'd do anything to make you happy, Betty." The knots in his stomach seemed to tighten. _Really, dear boy? You didn't seem to think so just a few days ago. Was wishing her true love away so that you could date her going to make her happy? _Daniel made a mental to note to stop by a liquor store so he could drink himself into oblivion when he got home. He didn't need his pesky and irrational feelings of guilt to keep him up all night.

When they arrived at her home in Queens, Betty leaned over and hugged Daniel. "Thank you. You've been so good to me." Once again, his heart raced at holding Betty so close. And he hugged her tightly, closing his eyes and savoring the moment. Then he remembered how he'd made her miserable and he let he go quickly, feeling burned. He watched her walk up the steps of her house and then directed the driver to find the nearest liquor store. That night Daniel fell asleep on his cold hardwood floor after chugging nearly half a bottle of vodka. The guilt was killing him.

Earlier in the day, Amanda had been busy trying to convince her father that he shouldn't cut her off financially.

"Daddy, I need your help!" Amanda had practically shrieked into the phone.

A few non-committal comments later and Amanda knew she was beaten. There was no way he'd help her anymore than he already was. She'd have to be poor. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Amanda reached into her desk to look for the hand mirror she always kept. She was going to need to repair the damage done to her makeup. Looking at her reflection, she saw Henry standing behind her.

"What's wrong?" he earnestly asked.

Amanda frowned. Her life had suddenly gone from awful to horrible. Here she was cut off financially-facing shopping retail-and now her other cross to bear had shown up. "Nothing," Amanda said.

Henry came around the desk to face her. "That's not true. You've been crying."

Exasperated Amanda threw up her hands. "So what if I was? Why is it your business?"

Henry was taken aback. "Because . . ." he faltered. "I like you."

Amanda was suddenly disgusted with Henry and his caring ways and herself for being touched by them. "Ugh, Hank! Leave me alone!" She got up from the desk and pushed past him to go the woman's bathroom.

Henry followed her. "I'm not leaving you alone," he called through the bathroom door. "Listen, I have a proposition for you." He paused, waiting for Amanda's reaction.

Amanda quickly checked the bathroom stalls to see if she was alone. She was. "Listen, if this is some sort of weird thing where I have to sleep with you for money, forget it," she replied. "I'm not into nerd love."

Henry boldly poked his head through the door. "I think we already established that you are."

Amanda shut the door in his face. "I don't want you to ever mention that again!"

Henry scratched his head. "I'm not trying to take advantage of you. I want to help. You don't have to do anything."

Amanda opened the door again. "Really? How?"

Henry's eyes lit up. They were talking about his favorite subject-money. "I couldn't help but hear your conversation since I was listening to every word," he began. "And I think your father wants you to learn the value of a dollar. He wants you to be independent, he won't be around forever."

Amanda snorted. "Not the way he drinks."

Henry ignored her comment. "So I think you should create a budget for yourself and live by it for a few months. Then invite your father to see how well you're doing. I think that if you show him how responsible you can be with money, he'll loosen his purse strings a bit."

Amanda sighed. "I can't do that. I wouldn't even know where to begin."

This was the moment Henry had been waiting for. "But I do. I can help you. Meet me in my cubicle after work and I'll show you how." Without waiting for Amanda's sarcastic comment, Henry began walking away. "Think about it," he said over his shoulder.

And for the remainder of the day, that's what Amanda did. She thought about that and why Henry hadn't kissed her at all during their bathroom encounter.


End file.
